TERRIFIC SLAUGHTER

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 149, 26 February 1915, Page 5

TERRIFIC SLAUGHTER

DESPERATE FIGHTING ON POLISH BORDERS FIERCE GERMAN ATTACKS # ' AUSTRIANS GIVING WAY THE BLOCKADE MORE SHIPS SUNK THE ALLIES DOING HEAVY WORK AEROPLANES ACTIVITY ON BOTH FRONTS

IMPORTANT SUCCESSES BY " ALLIES. GERMANS’ HEAVY LOSSES. The High Commissioner reports: \ LONDON, Feb. 25. Paris reports that occasional artillery combats from the Lys to the Aisne were favourable to the Allies, and several German batteries were silenced in -the region of the Meuse. Detailed reports of the successes at Eparges show its great importance,and heavy enemy losses. At a small part of the front taken by the Allies, upwards of GOO ' dead Germans were found. Prisoners say >hat. two regiments were driven from positions. They lost upwards of thousand, more than half the effectives. GERMAN DEAD LIE THICK. HEAVY FIGHTING AT YPRES. BRITISH . HOLD THEIR TRENCHES (Reed. 10.10 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25, “Eye Witness’s” story covering the 14th to 17th says there was heavy fighting continuously at Yprtes and Comines canal. The Germans attacked in some strength, and the enemy’s dead lay thick along our front. Our trench-mortars did gcod work, and we held our lines despite considerable pressure. On the 17th the enemy stormed trenches after blowing them up. Wie recovered the trenchs, heaped with German dead. The losses on both sides were considerable, the enemy’s exceeding ours. THE “TREACHEROUS ENGLISH GANG.” GERMANS FEAR ENGLISH RESOURCES. it, . (Reed. 10-10 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25. A letter found on a prisoner expressed the fear that Britain’s resources would wear out Germany. The writer feared that the English star would be in the ascendant after Christmas, “when we are exhausted. Aflier having fought so hard against Franae and Russia, we . will be unable to do more when the treacherous English gang appear.” ■

AERIAL WAR A DARING BRITISHER. DOWNS FOUR GERMAN MACHINES ’’■’ress Association —Copyright. (Reed. 2 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, Feb. 25. A British aviator, near Thourout, rose above three German machnes and shot down two of them gud damaged the third. Seven Germans were killed. MERCHANT CRUISER MISSING. (Reed. 2.20 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25. The Admiralty states that the armed merchant cruiser Clan MacNaughton with a crew of 280 is missing since the 3rd. It is ffeared she has been lost in a gale. DIRECTIONS FROM BERLIN. SAVING GERMANY’S FACE, (Times and Sydney Sun Special Cables.) LONDON, Feb. 26. 'ln an interview with Lord Charles Beresford, published in New York, ho states that Germany will not sink an American ship except by design, and fer thye express purpose of dragging the United States into war. The decision will not be left to the commander of a submarine. If a torpedo finds its mark it will be aimed and fired from Berlin, the motive being to involve America. Germany will then be in a better position to quit and enable the Kaiser to save his face, because the whole world is against him. It would also allow America to share a place in the negotiations, and exert a modifying influence.

THE ENEMY BOMBED. BY FRENCH AVIATOR. (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) PARIS, Feb. 25. A communique states that an aviator has thrown sixty bombs on the enemy’s railway stations and concentrations ii\ Champagne, KRUPP GUNS “GOING OFF." LONDON, Feb. 25. The “Daily Chronicle's” Geneva correspondent says one of the German’s newest and; biggest guns bombarding Thann exploded, killing an officer and five gunners. It is noticeable that many of the latest Krupp’s are inferior in construction and range to those used at the beginning of the war. STEAMER TORPEDOED. NO LIVES LOST. (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25. The steamer Western Coast was blown up and sunk off Beachy Bead. All hands were saved. The Deptford was struck abaft the engineroom. A lifeboat was launched and whien the roll was called the carpenter was missing. The Captain’s order to go full steam astern was impossible owing to the heavy seas. Baling was necessary and: the crew were exhausted when picked up. SUPPOSED TORPEDOING. VESSEL SUNK IN 7 MINUTES. LONDON, F\sb. 25. It is believed the Western Coast was torpedoed. The captain states that a violent explosion occurred amidships, which raised a column of water 50 ;feet high. The vessel sank in 7 minutes.

t- BULGARIA NEUTRAL. LONDON, Feb. 25. Bulgaria has demanded a credit of five millions for manoeuvres in the Phodope district in response to the announcement of Greek manoeuvres in northern Macedonia. This indicates aggressive intension's in case of a Greece-Turkish conflict, Bulgaria is resolved to maintain her neutrality. THE MISSING CLAN MACNAUGHTEN. I WRECKAGE FOUND LONDON, Feb. 25. The craw of the Clan MacNaughten (which is supposed to have sunk during a storm), included 24 Newfoundlanders and 69 of the mercantile marine. Some wreckage supposed to belong to the vessel has been picked up. The last signal was received on the 3rd. THE AMERICAN NOTE. GREAT SECRECY MAINTAINED V (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25, There Is great secrecy respecting America’s proposal to the belligerents in order to avoid public discussion ■: apd ; embarrassing, negotiations.

THE ATTACK ON SUEZ CANAL SOME INTERESTING DETAILS. LONDON, Feb. 25. The “Daily Mail,” describing- the fight at Serapemn says the Turkish base was a deep, sheltered valley fort> miles eastward. They had little artillery. During the night attack on Kantara, the enemy got within a thousand yards of the British trenches, but were unable to advance further and fled. The Turks attacking Ferdin used four guns of small calibre. Their attack on Ismaila was never within 1200 yards, but 6-in. guns were effective against the Hardinge and the Carew. Eighteen were wounded, but are recovering. The cruisers’ fire put the guns out of action. The Turkish main body was near Toussoum before dawn. Four thousand marched on the Canal, 10,000 being left in reserve two miles inland. After the failure to launch this boats the battle continued between Toussoum and Serapenm. Our batteries’ cress fire drovte the enemy into the apex of a triangle where the fires converged. The Turks attempted to counter attack, but tbte Indians repulsed them. Two companies of Indians crossed the canal and captured a deep trench after a stout resistance, taking prisoner 250.

SOUTH AFRICAN WAR. GERMAN AEROPLANE ACTIVITY. (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) CAPETOWN, Fob. 25. German aeroplane shelled the camp at Garub. One shell dropped within the hospital lines wounding five. NEW ZEALANDER AT THE FRONT (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25. After four months with th£ Russian array before Warsaw, Colonel Herbert Barclay, of South Canterbury, goes to the front as major in the Royal Army Medical Corps. AMMUNITION EXPLOSION. GERMAN REPRISALS. VILLAGERS HORRIBLY MUTILATED. (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) PETROGRAD, Feb. 25. The derailment of a German military train, near Lovitch, caused the explosion of several trucks of ammunitios, killing and wounding many soldiers. The Germans severely punished villagers for complicity. Three hundred villagers were taken at Lovitch and horribly mutilated. CONTRABAND COPPER. (Reed, 8.45 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Feb. 25. The police discovered fifty tons of copper concealed in a vessel at Rotterdam. Many are buying up copper and sending it to naturalised Germans in Rotterdam. Several arrests have been made and much copper seized. PREPARING FOR ITALY. AUSTRO-GERMANS GETTING READY.

GENEVA, Feb. 25. German-Austrian forties (chiefly engineers) are concentrating on the Tyrol frontier. Many guns are in position, and miles of trenches dug. The principal reads are mined. THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN. PETROGRAD, Feb. 25. The battle on the right bank of the Narew is extending. There arc continuous German . attacks along the whole front in the Gobr-Vistula region and Radzanow. The fighting is becoming extremely Severe in the Przasnysz region. In the Carpathians there is desperate fighting east of Lupkow, Near Zavadka the Russians captured three lines of trenches on a height which is almost a sheer precipice. The defending Germans were killed or taken prisoners. South of Tuckla after stubborn fighting the Russians carried the heights on the right bank of the Rozanka. RUSSIANS BREAK THROUGH GERMANS. The High Commissioner reports:--LONDON, Feb. 25. Petrograd reports tha in the Angus-' towo forest two Russian regiments who were surrounded and supposed to be lost broke through the enemy’s lines and rejoined our troops. GOOD WORK BY SERVIAN GUNNERS. LONDON, Feb. 25. The Daily Chronicle’s Salonicu correspondent says the Servians’ . bombardment of Semlin killed thirty of the Austrian staff who were sitting in conference in the Grand Hotel.

STEAMER TORPEDOED. LONDON, Feb. 25. The steamer Haipolian, from London to the United States, was torpedoed off Beaehy Head. Three Chinese were killed. Forty-one of the crew landed at Newhaven, two suffering from scalds. GERMAN MINE SOWERS. COPENHAGEN, Feb. 25. A flotilla of German trawlers laden with mines passed the Skaw, going westward. A SECOND MONS. PETROGRAD, Feb. 25. The retreat of General Bnlgakoff's army corps is likened to the British retreat from Mons. It occupied ninedays. GERMAN HEROICS. LONDON, Feb. 25. A writer with a view to popularising the navy, describes a visit to Wilbialmshaven. He boarded submarine IJ2I bearing a silver plate inscription; ‘‘A shot from this tube sank the Engish cruifler Pathfinder.” The commander has been overwhelmed with presents and offers of marriage. Relating to the sinking of three ships near Liverpool, he said the submarine waited vainly Lor days for fresh spoils, but no craft with British flags dared to enter or leave Liverpool. Tired of the long waiting, the submarine went in search of new adventures in thie Irish Sea. These waters have also been swept free of British shipping.